Hale and Dorr LLP and Wilmer Cutler Pickering LLP announce the completion of their merger and are now operating as WilmerHale. International in scope, the combined firm presents comprehensive capabilities across a spectrum of the most important practice areas. The decision to combine was announced last month and became effective on May 31.
This is the first merger of equals by two members of The American Lawyer’s elite “A-List,” an annual index that ranks the nation’s 20 leading law firms based on all-around excellence, including financial success, commitment to pro bono work, workforce diversity and the training and development of younger lawyers. It will bring together more than 1,000 lawyers and some of the most renowned practices in the legal profession.
The new firm will be led by William F. Lee (in Boston) and William J. Perlstein (in Washington, D.C.) as co-managing partners and by a management committee drawn equally from both legacy firms. In addition to Lee and Perlstein, the members of the management committee include partners Mark Borden, Carol Clayton, Bill Lake, Dieter Lange, Yoon-Young Lee, Susan Murley, Tim Neely, Joe Pillman, John Westcott, Jr., and Roger Witten.
“In the weeks since we announced the combination, the positive reaction from our clients and the legal community has exceeded our expectations,” said Mr. Lee. “Having completed the merger, we now open our doors to a wealth of new opportunities for our clients and our people.”
“We are gratified by the energy and spirit our lawyers and staff have shown in the weeks since the announcement,” added Mr. Perlstein. “We have brought together two nationally recognized law firms and created a new entity with shared values and a shared commitment and dedication to exceptional work and client service.”
Cumulatively, the two legacy firms bring to WilmerHale more than 125 years of distinguished history in Supreme Court advocacy, pioneering cases in intellectual property, and leading-edge work in corporate law, civil and criminal trial and appellate litigation, securities regulation and enforcement, international trade, antitrust, bankruptcy, communications, and many other practices. The new firm also will continue the strong commitment to public service that was a hallmark of the legacy firms.
WilmerHale has offices in the United States in Baltimore, Boston, Waltham, New York, Northern Virginia, Princeton, and Washington, D.C. Internationally, the firm has offices in Berlin, Brussels, London, Oxford, and Munich and has an application pending to establish a Representative Office in Beijing. For more information, see About the Firm.